DOES GOD WANT YOU TO BE RICH?
Remember when I mentioned that I had an unfinished blog on finances? Well…I’m going to summarize it today. So I was in the clinic waiting for my contact lens exam when I read an article in Time magazine with this title. It brought on more thoughts and I’m going to try to sort through them right now. Bear with me.
In thinking about the future more these days, I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my finances. I’m obviously not going to be ‘rolling in it’ after I graduate, especially with all the debt I’ve accumulated these past few years, but I have a career which will provide a stable income and job security. Where to go from there?
I haven’t worked out the details yet on the type of lifestyle I plan to have and I feel quite torn at times in opposite directions. When I look into the future, there’s a part of me that wants the high-end European cars, double story homes with beautiful interior design, lush green lawns maintained by gardening companies, expensive family trips and 2.5 kids to boot. I want to continue with the means that I grew up in and have grown accustomed to. I’ve been fortunate enough to have all my needs satisfied…as well as most of my desires. In our last series at church, we were discussing what the Bible specifies as ‘needs’.
I’ve been asking myself recently – Am I content with what I have or am I continually wanting more? Do I have that inner sense of everything is at rest? Am I thankful for things like modern plumbing and television or have I begun to take them for granted, instead of a luxury? With so many of my classmates going on medical mission trips recently, I am being reminded of my own experiences in Haiti. How simple everything is. And I wonder if I can live that way. Of course, I say ‘I think I can’ right now. But I’m also a student living on a student budget. What happens when I get a taste of the real world and its riches?
I am so thankful for the chance to be currently living in the city. When I think ‘city’ I usually think big buildings, bright lights and busy streets. Shopping and financial districts…people everywhere. But I guess what I’m trying to say is that a city is comprised of more than just that. I’m thankful of being in the neighbourhood that I’m in and the church that I’m at. I’ve had a chance to interact with various people as patients and as brothers & sisters. It’s opened my eyes to my suburban upper middle class mentality.
I remember chatting with some people from chinatown and how they had this opinion of people living in the suburbs being sheltered. It almost sounded like disdain because we have no idea what it means to be living paycheque to paycheque or having gangs in the neighbourhood; we had no clue what it means to be street-smart. And me, in my arrogance, assumed that everyone would want to ‘work their way up’ and move to perfect suburbia. How surprised was I to hear the pride their voices. How surprised was I to learn of communities that are strong and rooted; their identity based on their geographic residence.
I mean, growing up, my parents and I were polite and civil to our neighbours but we never really knew them aside from the occasional chit-chat while mowing our lawns. It makes me laugh because now that I think about it, there are no lawns in the city!! In our little niche of North York, there were never the baking of cakes or casseroles and bringing them to your next door neighbour. That sounded like something from the 60’s when neighbourhoods were still safe. At least that’s what I thought until I started going to this community church. It really is a church for the community! No one travels large distances to go to church - most can walk. People really do bake things for each other. There really are block parties where everyone just hangs out on the street and barbeque. People baby sit for each other and help repair each other’s houses.
I admire and respect these friends so much. But when I visit their homes, I look around with my judging eyes and wonder if I can live like them. Would I be able to live within their means or would I be one of those transplanted suburbanites who would renovate the entire house make it look expensive and modern? Can I deal with a bathroom door that doesn’t close completely, a bedroom door made of accordion-style plastic material or even just one kitchen sink instead of two? Can I live without a television, a CD player, or even a car? My worship leader rides his bike either to or from work every day. The only days he takes the train is if it’s below freezing point. It’s about the same distance as going to the airport - about an hour and a half one way. What does he do during his ride? He sings praises to our God. So do I (occasionally) in the comfort of my warm, never been driven 2006 Honda civic.
I’m not saying that we should emulate the lives of these people; that our goal should be to have this type of lifestyle or postal code. Merely these are some of the things that are going through my head at this moment. It’ll be interesting to re-read this post 5 years from now and see where I end up. Thoughts anyone?
